Onora O'Neill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Baroness O'Neill of Bengarve
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| President of the British Academy | |
| In office 2005–2009 |
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| Preceded by | Garry Runciman, 3rd Viscount Runciman of Doxford |
| Succeeded by | Sir Adam Roberts |
| 10th Principal of Newnham College, Cambridge | |
| In office 1992–2006 |
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| Preceded by | Sheila Browne |
| Succeeded by | Patricia Hodgson |
| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal |
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| Assumed office 25 February 1999 Life peerage |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Onora Sylvia O'Neill
23 August 1941 Aughafatten, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | None (crossbencher) |
| Education | St Paul's Girls' School |
| Alma mater | Somerville College, Oxford Harvard University |
| Occupation | Philosopher and politician |
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Philosophy career |
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| Era | Contemporary philosophy |
| Region | Western philosophy |
| School | Analytic philosophy |
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Main interests
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Influences
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Influenced
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Onora Sylvia O'Neill, also known as Baroness O'Neill of Bengarve (born August 23, 1941), is a famous British philosopher. She is also a member of the House of Lords, which is part of the UK Parliament. She doesn't belong to a political party, so she is called a crossbencher.
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Early Life and Learning
Onora Sylvia O'Neill was born in Aughafatten, Northern Ireland, on August 23, 1941. Her father was Sir Con O'Neill, a diplomat. She spent some of her childhood in Germany. Later, she went to St Paul's Girls' School in London.
After school, she studied philosophy, psychology, and physiology at Somerville College, Oxford. She then earned a special degree called a doctorate from Harvard University. Her supervisor there was a very important philosopher named John Rawls.
Her Career Journey
In the 1970s, Onora O'Neill taught at Barnard College in New York City. This college is part of Columbia University. In 1977, she came back to Britain. She started working at the University of Essex.
She became a Professor of Philosophy there. In 1992, she became the Principal of Newnham College, Cambridge, which is a college at the University of Cambridge.
Important Roles and Achievements
Onora O'Neill has held many important positions. She is now an Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at the University of Cambridge. This means she is a retired professor who is still highly respected.
- She was the President of the British Academy from 2005 to 2009. This is a leading group for humanities and social sciences.
- She led the Nuffield Foundation from 1998 to 2010. This foundation supports research and innovation.
- She gave special talks called the Gifford Lectures at the University of Edinburgh in 2001 and 2013.
- From 2004 to 2006, she was President of the British Philosophical Association.
- She was the head of the Equality and Human Rights Commission until 2016. This group works to protect people's rights.
Her work has won her many awards. One of the biggest is the Berggruen Prize, which is worth a million dollars!
What She Thinks About (Philosophy)
Onora O'Neill has written a lot about important ideas. These include:
- Political philosophy: How societies should be organized and governed.
- Ethics: What is right and wrong.
- International justice: Fairness between countries.
- Bioethics: Ethical issues in medicine and biology.
- The ideas of Immanuel Kant, a famous philosopher.
She often talks about the importance of trust and consent. She believes people should be able to rely on each other. She also thinks it's important to respect what people agree to. She has said that we need to trust professionals more. She also believes we should think about how the media spreads suspicion.
Awards and Special Recognitions
Onora O'Neill has received many honors for her work.
- She was made a life peer in 1999. This means she became Baroness O'Neill of Bengarve. This title allows her to be a member of the House of Lords for life.
- In 2007, she became an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very high honor for scientists.
- She is also an honorary member of many academies around the world. These include groups in America, Austria, Germany, and Norway.
- She received the Berggruen Prize and the Holberg Prize in 2017. These are major international awards for thinkers.
- In 2014, she was given the Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour (CH). This is a special award for great achievements.
- She also received the Knight Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2016. This was for her work on trust and fairness.
She is currently the president of the Society for Applied Philosophy. This group helps connect philosophy to real-world problems.
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See Also
- List of Northern Ireland members of the House of Lords
